Origami Shikki Paper Plater Lakatua

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Origami Shikki (Japanese paper lacquerware) was designed based on the concept of fusing the origami technique with the traditional industries of washi paper and lacquerware.
Combining these traditional elements with their design sensibilities and contemporary lifestyle, Origami Shikki is an innovative expression of Japanese tradition.
By redesigning Japanese paper as lacquerware, they created an opportunity to rethink tradition and consider a sustainable future for Japan's traditional industries.

Dimensions & Packaging

Width 280mm x Depth 208mm x Height 25mm, 4 colors

Tags

tableware, lacquerware, dish, traditional craft, Japanese paper

Production Technology

While washi is an easily processable material, it is also more brittle than other materials and vulnerable to water. So it have enhanced the water resistance and robustness of washi by applying a lacquer treatment to it, and have created a three-dimensional structural strength by using origami techniques.
The washi used for Origami Shikki is made using a traditional Echizen technique known as HIKAKE, which allows the paper to change texture depending on the angle of the light.

Design Challenge

In Japan, lacquer plays a role as a coating and adhesive, and is used in a variety of situations due to its robustness, durability, and ease of decoration.
However, because the coating cracks when force is applied after curing, it has been considered almost impossible to change the shape of a finished lacquer object.
Origami Shikki overcame this difficulty through a unique method and process, and succeeded in folding the lacquer-coated Japanese paper like origami without cracking the coating.

Research

Sales of products using washi are declining year by year, and the traditional washi production system is becoming difficult to maintain.
If washi processing factories are lost, the traditional techniques of the region will be lost as well.
Origami Shikki is made from washi paper that was to be discarded because it was out of specification.
They have considered how to make washi sustainable without being restricted to preserving traditional techniques.

Inspiration

Inspired by three traditional elements that are familiar to Japanese people: origami, a traditional technique of folding a sheet of paper into a single shape; lacquer, a traditional craft unique to Japan that has continued for centuries; and washi, a traditional material with production sites all over Japan, they considered how these traditions should evolve into a sustainable form to integrate into modern life where everything is convenient and accessible.

Project Duration

This project first began in September 2020, and was completed in October 2022, and is being exhibited at the gallery called TAKEO Aoyama Mihoncho in Tokyo in 2022.

Operation Flow

Origami Shikki has a lacquer finish that makes it durable against water and oil, and can be used as a plate for all kinds of dishes, from Japanese to Western cuisine.
After use, it can be washed with water and detergent and dried for repeated use.
What sets Origami Shikki apart from other plates is that it is made of washi, which makes it lightweight, and because it uses the origami technique, it can be folded into small pieces.
Small and light, Origami Shikki can be carried anywhere.

Patents

Trademark: Registration number 6448953